Theater building



y 1936- T. LINDENBERG THEATER BUILDING 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 5, 1954 May 19, 1936. T LINDENBERG THEATER BUILDING Filed Oct. 5, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented -May 19, 1936 lTED STATES PATENT OFFlCE Y 3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in theater buildings and, more particularly, to theatrical building structures especially constructed tand designed for the exhibition of motion picures.

Theater buildings in which motion pictures are displayed now follow generally the designs hitherto employed in theater buildings adapted for the presentation of legitimate plays using a living cast. Thus they invariably include a large auditorium capable of seating a maximum number of persons; with the result that when motion pictures are presented, it is necessary to employ an extremely large screen in order that the light images cast thereon from projection machines will be of such size as to be readily viewable and visuallyappreciated by those of the auditorium who occupy seats furthermost removed in the auditorium from the screen. For example, one well known theater of great seating capacity in which motion pictures form an outstanding part of the entertainment offered, employs a screen of approximately 10 feet in width and 40 feet in height. Such extremely large screen sizes are quite often objectionable to those who occupy seats in the more forward portions of the auditorium, that is, closer to the screens or other surfaces on which the motion pictures are projected, since, obviously, such large screens cause the images of human figures projected thereon to assume gargantuan proportions of unreal andunnatural appearance. Moreover, since synchronized sound effects are employed in connection with modern motion pictures, large auditoriums are again objectionable, since to assure adequate delivery of sound to patrons furthermost removed from the sound reproducing apparatus, it is usually necessary to operate the latter at high rates of sound output with the result that patrons seated in the forward portion of the auditorium, and relatively close to the sound reproducing apparatus, find the volume of sound produced distinctly objectionable because of its excessive loudness and resulting unnatural qualities.

Large auditoriums heretoforehave been considered necessary and important principally for commercial reasons. Certain photoplays, as is well known, draw large patronage, while others do not. Theater operators therefore find it desirable from a commercial standpoint to construct an auditorium having a seating capacity for accommodating the occasionally-occurring large sized audiences, even though the average attendance would not necessitate norjustify an auditorium oi such, augmented seating capacity.

Moreover, the attendance varies during difierent hours of the day so that during'morning or afternoon hours, the auditorium of a motion picture theater may be occupied with patrons of but a relatively minor fraction of its total seating capacity, 5 whereas during the evening hours, the same auditorium may have its seating capacity taxed to the maximum. Regardless, however, of the number of patrons, it is necessary to regulate the temperature thereof, operate air conditioning appa- 10 ratus and provide the necessary lighting facilities and all this occurs in a manner which may not be justified by. the numbers of a given audience present. 4

It is therefore an object of the present inven- 5 tion to provide an improved building structure specifically designed for the exhibition of motion pictures, 'of either the silent or sound types, and wherein a greater degree of naturalness and pleasure in witnessing and hearing such produc- 2o tions are obtained by the audience, economies in building upkeep and management afforded, and other advantages obtained through the employment of a single building structure containing a plurality of relatively small auditoriums, which 25 are specially designed to conform to conditions by which maximum enjoyment of motion picture productions may be obtained by an audience, and at the same time to permit one or more of such auditoriums to be simultaneously utilized, in ac- 30 cordance with the number of patrons present, during the rendition of a given motion picture production.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a theatrical building structure containing a plurality of auditoriums of relatively small size, especially adapted for the display of motion pictures, and to provide in conjunction with such auditoriums a system by which light from a single projector may be directed at will upon the 40 screens provided in such auditoriums, in order that there will be no increase in the number of motion picture projection machines now commonly employed in projecting motion pictures on the screen of a single auditorium.-

For a further understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a horizontal sectional view, partly in plan, of a motion picture theater provided with a plurality of auditoriums and constructed in accordance with the features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View on the plane i dicated by the line 11-11 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view on the plane indicated by the line III-III of Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one of the chine in three different paths;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view of the central reflectors-in the system shown in Fig. '7.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral l designates the exterior walls of a building especially constructed for the display of motion pictures. In this instance, the interior of the building is provided. with a central longitudinally extending vertical wall 2 which divides the interior of the building into a plurality of auditoriums, as indicated at 3 and 4, the said auditoriums being totally separated and adapted for either independent or conjoint use. Each auditorium further includes forwardly disposed and angularly converging side walls 5 which terminate contiguous to a screen 6 of a relatively small size. screen possessing a width of approximately ten feet and a height of about eight feet, which permits of a display of images depicting human beings in small or more normal proportions than has been obtainable heretofore with screens of much greater dimensions. To the rear of each screen may be placed sound reproducers I which are adapted for use in connection with motion pictures employing synchronized sound effects. This apparatus may be of any standard type and synchronized with the action of amotion picture in the conventional ways. v

Through the employment of small auditoriums and smaller screens, the reproducers I may be operated at much lower volume or rate of sound output than is now generally customary in motion picture theaters, which again contributes to the enjoyment of the theater patrons since it has been found that when such sound reproducing apparatus is not operated at such high rates of sound output, the character of the sound emitted thereby is materially improved and rendered,

more pleasing and natural to the ear.

The floor'of the auditoriums is indicated at 8', and by disposing the screen at a higher elevation than normal, the floor 8 may be approximately horizontal, and devoid of the pitch .or slope commonly given auditorium floors. I prefer to provide each auditorium with approximate- 1y two hundred fifty to three hundred seats inorder to keep each auditorium within the physical proportions I have found to be best adapted.

for ,sound-motion picture reproduction. Of course, any desired number 'of the auditoriums may be utilized to bring their accumulated seating capacity to any desired figure. Again, the

auditoriums may be disposed one above the other in vertical tiers, as well as being spaced laterally. The back of each auditorium is provided with one or more doorways 9, communicating with a common passageway or lobby l0, so that patrons For instance, I prefer to employ a.

entering the theater through the passageway H may be diverted or directed to the auditorium or auditoiiunis in which productions are taking place.

An important feature of the present'invention is the provision of means for enabling the customary number of projection machines, now commonly employed in projecting motion pictures on the screen of a single auditorium, to be used either selectively or conjointly in projecting pictures on the screens 6 provided in the multiple auditoriums of the building structure comprising the present invention. This is a very important feature in operation economy as it permits of the simultaneous projection of pictures on two or more screens from a single projection machine,

and avoids the expense of installing and operating picture-machines in each auditorium which in many instances would make the system prohibitive.

In the drawings, the projection booth or room is indicated at l2, the same being disposed to the rear of the auditoriums 3 and 4 above the heads of the audience and projects equally from the central divisional wall 2 into the auditoriums 3 and 4. This projection room contains one or more standard projection machines l3, two being provided as usual in order that there may be continuity of film operation to produce a continuous showing of photoplays on one or more of the screens in a standard manner. The projection machine I 3, disclosed in Fig. 3, has its lens barrel I4 arranged in registration with an aperture I 5 provided with a light reflecting casing l6, which may be mounted on the forward wall of the booth.

Within the casing l6 and in alignment with the axis of the aperture l5, there is disposed angularly related flat mirrors l1 and I8, the latter being preferably hingedly connected as at l9 along their meeting edges, so that the angular relationship of said mirrors may be varied. The mirror I! may be termed a mirror screen. That is to say, in its preferred form, the mirror l'l being made from clear glass has one of its sur-' faces provided with a. plurality of spaced bar or strip mirrors 20 and between the strip-like mirrored surfaces 20, clear glass is presented for the. unimpeded transmission of light. The mirror .completely mirrored or silvered over' its entire area to prevent the transmission of light therethrough but to deflect angularly the total quantity of light incident thereon.

With the use of this light deflector, light which strikes the mirrored strips or bars of the grid-like mirror I! .is deflected in a path 2| substantially at right angles to the path of light projection from the lens barrel of the projection machine. Likewise, the light which passes through the .clear glass portions of the grid mirror I! and is incident on the mirrored surface of the mirror [8 is reflected within the casing IS in the manner indicated by the path 22 of light projection, disclosed in Fig. 3. The light reflected from said mirrors l1 and I8 is directed upon angularly disposed mirrors 23 arranged in the ends of the casing l6 'and thence is again refracted or reflected in a forward direction in .two or more paths toward the screen 6. While the apparatus disclosed in Figs. 3 and 4 is especially applicable to theatrical buildings employing-but two auditoriums, it will be understood that a number of the grid mirrors" may be employed so that light 76 from a single projection machine may be simultaneously projected to three or four auditoriums.

To facilitate the adjustment of the mirrors II, I 8 and 23 so that the picture will be directed upon the screens 6, the mirrors are mounted in frames at which are pivoted on studs 25 carried in connectionwith the casing l6. The'lower edges of the frames are each provided with a pivoted nut 21 into which is threaded an adjusting screw'28, the head 29 thereof being arranged outside the casing to be readily manipulated. Arranged between a collar 30 formed on the screw and the inside of the casing I6 is a coil spring 3! provided to hold the shoulder on the screw head 29 against the casing and prevent the mirror from becoming accidentally moved out of adjustment. The frames 26 may be left open at the top so that the mirrors may be removed and replaced easily for cleaning or repair. If only one auditorium is in use, the grid-like mirror 51 may be removed so that the picture will be projected only into the auditorium in use.

When three auditoriums are to be employed, the reflector system shown in Figs. '7 and 8 may be employed. In this system, the mirrors Wu and I80, are both of the grid type, and the strips of mirrored surfaces of the mirrors lta are approximately twice the width of those of the mirrors Ila. This permits a portion of the light which passes through the clear portion of mirror We .to strike the mirror strips on 98a. and be reflected thereby. The portion of the light which passes through both mirrors Na and 68a is directed upon the screen in the center auditorium while that reflected by the mirrors is again reflected by mirrors 23 at the ends of the casing ita upon the screens in the end auditoriums.

When two projection machines are used, as is customary, one projection machine is disposed slightly above the other and laterally offset as disclosed in Fig. 2 because it is necessary to employ a reflector system for each of the machines.

In view of the foregoing, it will be seen that the present invention provides an improved theater building designed first to provide for greater enjoyment on the part of patrons to modern motion picture exhibitions and one wherein, sight and sound are taken into consideration. Secondly, the building is such as to provide the management with operating economics as auditoriums are provided suitable for the number of patrons attending the productions. When an auditorium is not in use, it need not be lighted, heated, air conditioned or provided with attendants. Again, the present invention while providing this desired flexibility in building operation and the seating of patrons, furthermore enables the customary projection apparatus to be employed in directing pictures upon the screens of the multiple auditoriums and in operating the sound apparatus used in connection therewith. Thus, two auditoriums may be operated when desired at no greater expense than a single large auditorium having equivalent seating capacity.

What isolaimed is:

1 In amotion picture projecting system, the combination with a pair of parallel adjoining auditoriums, apparatus for projecting a beam of light through a motion picture film, angularly adjustable related transparent light reflecting and transmitting mirrors in longitudinalfocal registration with the entire light beam issuing from said apparatus after passage through said film, said mirrors producing light beams traveling in opposite directions with respect to each other in paths perpendicular to that of the beam issuing from said projection apparatus, spaced angular non-transparent mirrors intercepting said oppositely directed light beams to produce spaced substantially parallel beams which pass longitudinally through each of said auditoriums, and screens arranged in the forward ends of said auditoriums to receive the light beams reflected from said non-transparent mirrors.

2. In a motion picture projecting system, the combination with a pair of parallel adjoining auditoriums, apparatus for projecting a beam of light through a motion picture film, angularly adjustable related transparent light reflecting and transmitting mirrors in longitudinal focal registration with the entire light beam issuing from said apparatus after passage through said film, said mirrors producing light beams traveling in opposite directions with respect to each other in paths perpendicular to that of the beam issuing from said projection apparatus, spaced angular non-transparent mirrors intercepting said oppositely directed light beams to produce spaced substantially parallel beams which pass longitudinally through each of said auditoriums, and screens arranged in the forward ends of said auditoriums to receive the light beams reflected from said non-transparent mirrors, said screens being substantially equidistantly spaced from said projection apparatus.

3. In a motion picture projecting system, the combination withv a pair of parallel adjoining auditoriums, apparatus for projecting a beam of light through a motion picture film, angularly related transparent light reflecting and transmitting mirrors in longitudinal focal registration with the entire light beam issuing from said apparatus after passage through said film, said mirrors producing light beams traveling in opposite directions with respect to each other in paths perpendicular to that of the beam issuing from said projection apparatus, spaced angular nontransparent mirrors intercepting said oppositely directed light beams to produce spaced substantially parallel beams which pass longitudinally through each of said auditoriums, screens arranged in the forward ends of said 'auditoriums to receive the light beams reflected from said nontransparent mirrors, and manually operated means for regulating the operative positions of said mirrored light reflecting and transmitting mirrors whereby to regulate the selective or simultaneous projection of light on the auditorium screens.

THEODORE LINDENBERG. 

